Rail-track system.



No. 822,399. PATENTED JUNE 5 W. J. STERLING.

RAIL TRACK SYSTEM.

APPLICATION IILBD AUG.17, 1905.

WILLIAM JACKSON STERLING, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

RAIL-TRACK SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1906.

Application filed August 17, 1905. Serial N0. 274 627.

To (I/Z/Z/ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM JAoKsoN STERLING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-T rack Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rail-track systems, and more particularly consists of a system involving lower tracks designed to sustain carrying-wheels and upper rails designed to support objects deposited from carriages moving on said lower tracks.

The object in view is the provision of a track system whose upper and lower rails are locked together in such manner as to facilitate the rigid retention of the parts in position by the use of a minimum amount of material.

With this and further objects in view the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a view in side elevation of a track system embodying the features of the present invention. Fig. 2 represents a top plan View thereof with the upper rails and standards removed. Fig. 3 represents a vertical transverse section taken on the plane of line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 1 indicate suitable cross-ties spaced apart, and secured to which are clamping-plates 2 2. Each of said plates preferably consists of a hollow substantially circular base 3 the upper surface of which carries clamping-flanges 4 4, one of said flanges being arranged at each of two opposite sides of the base. The base is provided with laterally-projecting eyes 5 5, designed to receive the securing means extending therethrough and into the cross-ties 1. Each base 3 is apertured centrally and the vertical standard 6 is passed therethrough said standard being threaded at its lower en and engaged by the nut 7, which locks the standard against vertical movement upwardly independently of the base. A nut 8 is threaded onto the standard 6 above the base and prevents downward vertical movement of the standard, a clamping-block 9 being interposed between the nut 8 and the base 3. The block 9 is preferably formed with a beveled end surface 10 at each side, designed to snugly fit against the correspondingly-beveled upper surface of the lower web of the rail 11, said rail being formed after the usual manner of constructing an I railroad-rail. Each of the clamping-flanges 4 is formed with a beveled under surface corresponding to the beveled surface 10 and extending in opposite inclined planes for engaging the opposite flange of the web of the rail 11.. Thus it will be seen that the block 9 is designed to engage a rail 11 at each side of the standard 6, so that two complete tracks, each consisting of a pair of rails, may be supported by three, of the clamping-plates 2, arranged in transverse alinement, or three double-rail tracks may be supported by four clampingplates 2 in transverse alinement, and so on, one additional clamping-plate being all that is needed for supporting a complete doublerail track.

At the upper end of each of the standards 6 is arranged a cap 12, which is suitably secured to the standard and is provided with laterally-projecting arms 13 13, each of said arms being bifurcated and designed to receive a rail 14. The arms 13 may be of any required width, but are preferably relatively narrow, except, as indicated in Fig. 1, at points where the rail 14 is severed, at which points the arms 13 are preferably widened for receiving the ends of the rail. Each of the rails 13 is preferably secured by rivets or bolts 15 to the respective arms 13. Thus it will be seen that a rail 14 is provided for each of the rails 11, and each double track, consisting of the two rails 11 spaced apart between two of the clamping-plates 2, will have its corresponding pair of rails 14.

In order that the utility of the structure may be appreciated, it is suggested that the present structure is especially well adapted for use in packing-houses, lumber-drying establishments, or brick and building-block establishments. The preferred operation consists in the placing of a load upon a truck or other suitable carriage mounted on the tracks 11, said truck being provided with a vertically movable platform and the platform being positioned for sustaining the load above the rails 14. The truck, with the load in this position, is caused to move down the track to the point where the load is to be deposited, and the vertically-movable platform is lowered for permitting the load to rest upon the rails 14.

What I claim is 1. In a track structure, the combination of a base, a standard passed therethrough, means for securing said standard against longitudinal movement with respect to said base, a rail-clamping flange carried by said base, a rail-clamping block carried by said standard, and a rail-support carried by the standard above said base.

2. In a track structure, the combination of a base, a standard engaging the same, means for retaining said standard against longitudinal movement with respect to said base, a clamping-flange carried by said base and designed to engage one side of the rail, a clamping-block carried by said standard and designed to engage the opposite side of said rail, and a rail-carrying arm projecting laterally from said standard.

3. In a track structure, the combination of a base, a standard engaging the same, a clamping-flange carried by said base and designed to engage one side of a rail, and a clamping-block carried by said standard, and designed to engage the other side of the rail, a cap engaging said standard, and a rail-carrying arm projecting laterally from said cap.

4. In a track structure, the combination of a base, a standard connected therewith, a clamping-flange extending from each side of said base, each of said flanges being designed to engage a rail, a clamping-block carried by said standard, and provided with oppositelydisposed clamping-faces designed to engage the opposite faces of the rails engaged by said clamping-flanges, and rail-carrying means sustained by said standard above said base.

5. In a track structure, the combination of a base, a standard engaging the same, means carried by said standard for engaging a rail on each side thereof, and an arm projecting from each side of said standard and each designed to sustain a rail.

6. In a track structure, the combination of a hollow base, a threaded standard extending therethrough, a nut threaded on said standard and engaging said base, a nut threaded on said standard above the base, a clampingblock interposed between the upper nut and the base, said block being designed to engage a rail for maintaining the same in position, and rail-carrying means sustained by said standard above said base.

7. In a track structure, of a base, a standard connected therewith, means carried by said standard for securing a pair of rails on said base, and means arranged at the upper end of said standard for sustaining a pair of rails.

8. In a track structure, the combination of a base, a standard connected therewith, railengaging means carried by said standard for securing a rail to said base, a cap for the upper end of said standard, and bifurcated arms projecting from said cap and designed to receive rails.

9. In a track structure, the combination with a cross-tie, of a pair of clamping-plates connected therewith, a clamping-flange carried by each of said plates, a standard engaging each of said plates, a clamping-block carried by each of said standards, a rail secured between the clamping-flange and said clamping-block of each plate, and a rail carried by each of said standards above the first-mentioned rail.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM JACKSON STERLING.

Witnesses:

A. S. J. GAMMoN, DAVIS W. JORDAN. 

